Smalltown Supersound Norway 黑胶唱片和CD

Review: Berlin-based producer and DJ Barker has long been an underground innovator associated with plenty of vital labels but he hasn't dropped a new solo EP for a couple of years now. Thankfully he rights that wrong and and steps up to the 30 year strong Smalltown Supersound out of Oslo with a new four track offering that "sees him inverting the musical equation and exploring both the variability and sonic possibilities of a kick-drum." Opener 'Birmingham Screwdriver' will rewire your brain with its fizzing frequencies and skewed bass, 'Wick and Wax' is bright and hyperactive techno-pop and the flipside gets much more raw and dark. A fine return.

Review: Deathprod (Helge Sten), hailing from Norway, deconstructs what we mean by the word 'composition' on this latest LP for Smalltown Supersound. Exploring what could be described as his own style of lowercase music, there is a granular quality to this eerie collection of 17 'compositions', which appear in the chronological order of which they were first recorded. Building the music from an array of salvaged, largely obsolete, and sometimes faulty digital synths - this is a looming, towering monolith of a drone LP.

Review: Marking his fourth album for Smalltown Supersound, Norwegian avant-sax player Bendik Giske is reaching a certain ubiquitous position in his career on the back of sheer talent alone. His minimalist, one-instrument approach is forged in his virtuoso playing, where circular breathing techniques form the basis for cyclical patterns with an alarmingly precise meter. Due to the nature of his art, Giske often refers to his music as being highly physical, and the cover of this self-titled LP confirms that. This time around, Giske has been produced by stellar producer Beatrice Dillon, who pushed him to strip back his sound to a raw essence, all sax key clicks and sharp intakes of breath. The results are endlessly captivating.

Review: Everyone Else Is A Stranger by Lindstrom is the Scandi-don's first new solo studio album in four years. It his his sixth overall and thought it only has four tracks, it plays out over more than 40 minutes. Each of the cuts is classic Lindstrom but with subtle new tweaks and additions. They are chord-stacked disco epics that take you on a freeform cosmic voyage to the stars on uptempo rhythms aimed at the dance floor. He plays a Chinese cello and violin for the first time along the way, but the Solina String-Ensemble he has used on every track since his debut still remains. All hail the king of space disco once more.

Review: Is there a more iconic modern disco duo that Lindstom and Prins Thomas? The superb Scandic-pair link up here to great effect on a six track record for Smalltown Supersound. As ever the references are far and wide, from world music to deep house, cosmic ambience to synth music. The tracks are stuffed with subtle details and a rich overarching musicality that makes them as good for focussed headphone listening as it does an early evening dance. 'Oranges' is achingly gorgeous, 'Harmonia' is awash in lush arps and 'Small Stream' is dreamy bliss. Once again these maestros have come through with the goods.

Review: The righty much venerated Kelly Lee Owens has tracks from her recent Inner Song album remixed on Smalltown Supersound here. Loraine James opens up with a take on 'Wake Up' that is all broken beats and abstract electronic sounds. 'Re-Wild' then gets a Breaka remix which layers in plenty of UK continuum vibes, skittish perc and bass heavy drums. Last of all is 'Corner Of My Sky' as reworked by Coby Sey, and it is a busy drum workout for tribal dance floors that will pin you to the ground.

Review: Norwegian disco titan Prins Thomas returns to his regular stomping ground of Smalltown Supersound with this, his sixth solo studio album. Thomas is sounding as vibrant as ever, his musical ideas spilling forth in glorious arrangements of organic instrumentation and gentling bubbling electronics that melt into a mellow, groovy sonic realm. There are hazy, cosmic moments to be savoured on the likes of "Feel The Love", and more adventurous rhythmic trysts like the nagging, snaking percussive melee of "Ambitions". Thomas' studio proficiency is more than matched by his imagination and creative ambition - would you expect any less from such a titan of Scandinavian electronic music?

Review: Not long after her Only Love From Now On album last year, Carmen Villain is back with another sublime score. This one was done for a contemporary dance performance by acclaimed Choreographer Eszter Salamon. First off, just take a moment to admire the costumes in the artwork. Impressive, right? Well, the music is at least as good. It's drone and ambient that's often empty but never lacking. The details are deft and occasional dub undercurrents are barely there as tracks move at glacial speed and luxurious harmonies glow brightly. It's a masterclass in slowness and subtlety that can utterly disorientate you and disconnect you from space and time.